Press-copying device



(No Model.) H A THEM PRESS COPYING DEVICE.

No. 398,758. Patented Peb. 26, 1889.

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PATnNT IlllG() rl`lll.'.\l, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

PRESS-COPYING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part or" Letters Patent No. 398,7 58, datedFebruary 26, 1889.

Application filed October 20,1887. Serial No. 252,900. (No modehl To @ZZwhom may concern:

Be it known that I, IICGO THUN, ofI Grand Rapids, in the county of'lient and State of' Michigan, have invented a new and usei'ullmln'ovenlent in l.ress-(`opying.l.)eviees; and Ido hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact descriluion of' the same.

My invention is a portable copying device, designed to be used fortakingcopies of' manu script writing upon thin paper by both the wet and dryprocesses new used.

The object of my invention is to provide asimple device which requiresno press, and which may be used to copy letters without leaving thedesk.

A further object is to so construct: it as to make it economical tomanufacture and to adapt it for use as well with the dry process l aswith the wet process for taking copies of and, further, so that lmanuscript writing, copies may be taken within a book or upon loosesheets.

My invention consists,primarily, ot" a base plate provided with. aflexible flap secured I thereto, the copying being done between the iiapand the plate, as hereinafter described.

The invention also consists in the details, hereinafter fully setfort-h, for carrying the invention into ef'fi'ect.

Figure l represents a perspective view of my simple device. 2 is asection of the saine, showing it in readiness `for taking a copy by thedry process. Fig. il is a like section showing it arran ged for takin acopy by the wet process. Fig. 4 represents the device in connection withtray for holding moist sheets. Fig. 5 is a view of a modification forholding the moist sheets between the two parts of the device.

In the drawings, A represents the baseplate ot' my press, which may bemade of wood, metal, or glass, of a size and shape convenient for thepurpose, and if made of wood it may be shod with metal, so as to preventwarping or twisting from the action of the moisture. I prefer to have aflange extending downwardly at one end,which forms a shoulder for abearing against the edge of a desk7 which thus permits pressure to beapplied, as will be herein after described, away :from the operator, theflange a holding the base-plate rm. At the same end that the tlange islocated, upon the upper surface of' the lmse-plate, l ait-ach, in anysuitable manner, a flexible sheet, B,whieh may be made ot any materialof" a flexible w nature suitable for the purpose.

In the figures i have shown the base-plate as )'rovided with a zinccover upon its bottoni and edges, and with a zinc strip forming theattachment ot' the flexible sheet to the upper part of' the plate bymeans ot' screws. This press is complete as thus constructed, and is lcapable oi several distinct methods of taking copies from manuscript,which I will now describe: In the dry method ot copying letters, inwhich the ink used dries slowly, the letter to be copied is laid uponthe base-plate with its written side up. Over this is laid a sheet ofcopying-paper, and over the two sheets is laid the flexible sheet B, andthe copy is taken by the operator rubliiing hishands tirmlyover theflexible sheet; or, instead ot his fingers he l may use a smooth pieceof wood or cork, to give a more even pressure. In Fig. 2 I have shownthe sheets as arranged tor taking the copy by this method.

In the wet method of copying the letter is placed in a like manner uponthe base-plate with its written side uppermost, the moistl ened sheet isplaced upon the same, a sheet adapted to absorb moisture is placed abovethe second sheet, and over the whole the flexible cover of the press isplaced, and pressure applied thereto by the hands, or by a smooth pieceof cork or wood, and the copy taken oft in this manner. The bibuloussheet interposed between the moistened sheet and the tlexiblecover isvery desirable, as it prevents any spreading of the ink, and in.absorbing the moisture from the wet sheet creates a current from themanuscript page through the thin copying-paper which gives more perfectcopying and aids the ink in penetrating' the pores of the moistenedsheets. It 'further aids in drying the sheet very quickly.

It will be understood that the operation is precisely the same whethercopies are taken upon separate sheets or upon the pages of a book, aswhen applied to a book the base-plate is placed upon one side and themanuscript page upon it, and the copy taken,whether by l dry or wetprocess, by placing the sheet above y the page. and following out themethod above i described.

IOO

Then the press is to be used with a wet process of copying, and it isdesired to keep loose sheets damp within a tray, as that shown in l, thepress may serve as a cover to the tray. In this case I cover the bottomwith zinc, as above described, which thus prevents the escape oi' themoisture, and also prevent-s the warping of the board, if wood be usedfor the baseplate. Vhen it is vnot desired to use a tray such as thatshown, a plate may be used either of metal or wood lined with metal,upon which the sheets may be placed and moistened, and after the surpluswater has been drained off this plate, with the moistened paper upon itssurface, may be placed upon the base-plate of the press and the papercovered by the flexible sheet, which will thus prevent the moisture inthe paper from evaporating, and the moistened sheets will thus/be in aposition to be readily used. The moistened sheets of course may bewrapped np in a piece of oiled cloth or rubber, which will not onlyprevent evaporation, but will likewise keep the parts of the press frombecoming damp.

I claim as my inventionsgae/,58

l. In combination, the base-plate and a cov'- ering-ap connectedthereto, said iap being flexible and arranged to cover the plate, and byreason of said flexibility to lie directly upon all parts of the paperunderneath, whereby pressure may be applied to all parts uniformly,substantially as described.

2. A device for copying letters, consisting of a base-plate and aieXible sheet, said sheet being movable in its relation to the baseplateand adapted to be used in connection therewith, substantially asdescribed.

3. In thedescribed device for copying letters, consisting of abase-plate and flexible sheet connected therewith and covering the uppersurface, a flange extending downwardly from one end thereof, allsubstantially as clescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speciiication in thepresence of two subs3ribing Witnesses.

HUGO THUM.

Yitnesses:

FREDERICK LOETTGERT, FERDINAND THEM.

